This is the first revision of the application by the University of Florida (UF) for a CTSA. The University of Florida (UF) has a rich environment of distinguished colleges, state-of-the-art research facilities and statewide health education and health delivery systems. These resources position UF at the forefront of institutions to train the next generation of clinical and translational investigators and to help overcome two major obstacles in our nation's clinical research enterprise: the translation of basic science discoveries to early investigations in humans and the translation of clinical research into better medical practice and healthcare delivery. UF has made considerable investments dedicated exclusively to accomplish these missions. Furthermore, in direct response to the Clinical and Translational Science Award initiative, it committed substantial new research and training resources and undertook major restructuring of its traditional reporting, research and training operations to create a trans-institutional Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). The Institute will provide the new intellectual home for clinical and translational research and training at UF, integrating and synergizing the scientific and educational activities of 12 colleges, two academic and clinical campuses, two regional healthcare systems and the 67 counties ofthe State of Florida. Accordingly, this proposal sets forth the following goals to be accomplished in implementing the Institutional CTSA program: 1) Create an environment through which individuals from diverse disciplines can interact, resources, services and technologies can be identified and accessed and local and regional barriers to collaborative research can be overcome;2) Train a workforce of clinical and basic science investigators, clinical trialists, laboratory technicians, study coordinators and other related personnel who are required to establish and support multi- and interdisciplinary clinical and translational research teams3 3) Enhance the quality and availability of cutting-edge technologies and novel research programs to accelerate the discovery, development and application of new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities;and 4) Create new opportunities for clinical scientists and the citizens of Florida to collaborate in advancing education and research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of human disease.

Public Health Relevance

The proposal is relevant to the ability of UF to transform the manner by which it conducts multi- and interdisciplinary clinical and translational research and training and by which it engages the citizens across the State of Florida in community-based participatory research, education, health care and health care delivery.